FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE TO
REVIEW STATUS OF TWO CACTI IN COLORADO AND UTAH

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced
it will initiate status reviews of the Uinta Basin hookless cactus, found
in Utah and Colorado, and the Pariette cactus, found in Utah, to determine
the appropriate level of federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) protection
for these plants.

The Service made this determination in response to
two petitions, one to remove the Uinta Basin hookless cactus from the
federal protection under the ESA, and one to provide federal protection
for the Pariette cactus. Until recently, these species were considered one
taxonomic entity, so the petitions were considered concurrently.

The Service found that a petition from the National
Wilderness Institute seeking to remove the Uinta Basin hookless cactus (Sclerocactus
glaucus) from federal protection does not provide substantial
scientific information to warrant removal of the cactus from the list of
threatened and endangered species. However, due to recent taxonomic
revisions to species within the Sclerocactus genus, the Service is
initiating a status review to determine the species appropriate listing
status and to obtain new information concerning the species population
status, distribution and threats.

The Service also concluded that a separate petition
filed by the Center for Native Ecosystems and the Utah Native Plant
Society to list the Pariette cactus (Sclerocactus brevispinus) as a
threatened or endangered species under the ESA does present substantial
information indicating listing may be warranted. Consequently, the
Service is initiating a status review.

The Pariette cactus is restricted to one population
with an estimated 4,000 individuals on the boundary of Duchesne and Uintah
counties in northeastern Utah. The cactus occurs primarily on federal
land administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) with small
portions on state, Ute Indian Tribe and private lands.

The Uinta Basin hookless cactus occurs in Colorado on
BLM and private lands and in Utah on BLM lands, the Ouray National
Wildlife Refuge, the Uintah and Ouray Reservation of the Ute Indian Tribe,
and on state and private lands. Habitat is generally classified as coarse
rocky soils above the current flood plains of the Colorado, Gunnison, and
Green River drainages in western Colorado and northeastern Utah. Impacts
to both species include over-collection for horticultural purposes, energy
development, grazing, off-road vehicle use and water development.

Cacti within the Sclerocactus genus are small
ball or barrel shaped with straight (i.e. hookless) central spines,
egg-shaped to nearly globular succulent stems approximately 1.5 to 7
inches tall, with generally pinkish flowers.

The public is invited to comment on the petition
findings and to provide information regarding the status of and potential
impacts to the two cacti. Comments and information may be sent to Field
Supervisor, Utah Ecological Services Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, 2369 West Orton Circle, Suite 50, West Valley City, Utah 84119.
Comments may also be sent by electronic mail to FW6 Sclerocactus @fws.gov
“Attn: Uinta Basin Hookless Cactus” in the subject line. Electronic
comments should be submitted in ASCII or Microsoft Word file formats and
avoid use of any special characters or any form of encryption. Comments
may also be faxed to (801) 975‑3331. All comments must be received by
February 12, 2007.

Copies of these findings are available on the
Service’s web site at http://mountain-prairie.fws.gov.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the
principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and
enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing
benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre
National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 545 national wildlife
refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas.
It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resources offices
and 81 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces federal
wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory
bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and
restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign and Native
American tribal governments with their conservation efforts. It also
oversees the Federal Assistance program, which distributes hundreds of
millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to
state fish and wildlife agencies.